International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music is one of the biggest interpretational competitions of the contemporary music in Europe. Contest has been an initiative of the Krakow academic environment gathered in Academic Culture Association 'Institute of Art'. The first edition was held in 1997 as International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music under the patronage of Krzysztof Penderecki.

The aim of the competition is to promote young music-talented people and helping them with leading their careers. The most important thing is to promote polish contemporary music all over the world. Laureates are taking part in concerts organized after the competition and they playing are recoded and edited on CD. Every year more than dozen of soloists and ensembles qualified for the final are also evaluated by world-known musicians and composers. The idea of the competition has been met with a strong support of the music environment over the world, what can be confirmed by increasing number of foreign participants.

In the Jury of the competition has been sat Marek Stachowski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Jan Pilch, Paul Patterson, Vadim Brodski, Ivan Monighetti, Dimitri Ashkenazy, Robert Aitken, Klaus Tresselt, Geoffrey D. Madge, Grigori Zhislin, Elena Braslavsky, Robert Kabara, Orit Orbach, Marta Ptaszyńska, Jadwiga Kotnowska, Mary Stolper, Vera Beths, Taco Kooistra, Robert Szreder, Jaring Walta, Lydia Wong, Krzesimir Dębski, Tadusz Wielecki, Hanna Kulenty.

The competition is held every year at the turn of the August and September in Krakow. The participants are students and graduates of Music School, divided into four categories: soloists, duo, trio and quartet-sextet- (common category). The participants must present two freely chosen contemporary pieces, including one polish composition.

Auditions have two stages. During an incipient stage Jury select finalists and winners all categories (money prizes are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place). Furthermore for the best perform of the Polish and Dutch composer piece organizer provides the prize (as a effect of cooperation with Gaudeamus Fundation and Geoffrey Douglas Madge). Since 2006 Polish Institute in Stockholm helps with realization the idea of the competition which continues the programme of the polish artists promotion in Sweden ';Bravissimo!'. The prize of the Polish Institute in Stockholm ';Bravissimo' will be given to the most promising artistic personality of the International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music.

In the second stage during The Gala Concert, Jury set up from finalists the laureate of the Grand Prix. The programme of the Gala Concert playing in the Krakow Philharmonic include  the first part ceremonial prize award is hold during which the winners of the first prizes presents themselves and the Gala Concert of distinguished musicans stars of the Contemporary Music.